RIP Michael Jackson

Many, many people are mourning the untimely passing of Michael Jackson. A handful of comments I've read on myspace or facebook are negative or disparaging comments, but not many.

Frankly, I'm shocked and sad. I'm shocked because, obviously, we do not expect someone so young to die suddenly. Especially someone everyone "knows." These icons are supposed to live forever, as was Farrah Fawcett, who's been mostly lost in the news of MJ's demise.

I'm sad ...... saddened thinking about what I know of the life of this man, whom I'd never met. There are a few people who know with certainty whether Michael Jackson was guilty of molesting children. I certainly don't. Do I think it's possible that some parents decided they'd found an ingenious way of becoming millionaires? Yes, I do. After all, they left their children with a man who had already been accused (1993) of molesting a child. Those parents took a payoff. Is $22 million worth not prosecuting your child's molester? Hmmmmmmm. I find money in lieu of prosecution to be circumspect.

So I have no idea of MJ's guilt, and neither does most of the world. I tend to think he was odd, but innocent.

It would seem that this last experience with legal problems in 2005 basically crushed his spirit, already damaged by a life lived in a bubble. That is the saddest thing of all to me. Any time one's spirit is crushed whether it's by a parent (Frances Farmer), an event, societal expectations, or prejudice, it is monumentally sad.

Seemingly, Michael Jackson wanted to live in a fantasy world. His continual alteration of his face, his "Neverland" (link at top), his fear of aging (basically starving himself: 5'11" and 120 pounds?), spending much of his time with children.

Let me pose this scenario regarding that fantasy: if you had lived in the surreal world of entertainment since you were five years old, never experiencing "real life", and had the money to create your very own fantasy world, would you? Hell .... I'd like to make my own world a fantasy land right now (that's what my gardening is all about) and then share it with people. Why not? How many people decorate their "public spaces" in order to impress others. Isn't that just as bizarre or ultimately just as HUMAN as making your own Neverland?



Perusing the photos from the sale of "Neverland" are absolutely intriguing to me (be sure to click on the Neverland link at top). I want to move right in! Does this mean I want to permanently escape real life? Of course not. I can picture my studio being in one of those upper rooms ...........

My point is only this: the world has lost an incredible entertainer. An entertainer with an odd personal life? Well yes ..... but so what. A possibly very sad man? Yes, and that's the part that bothers me.

Sometimes we just see no way out of our encapsulation, even someone as rich and talented as Michael Jackson floundered within his own life.

RIP MJ, then please return in another talented, happier body and lifetime.

It's really the little things

We recently had a full-out, tree bending, mini-hurricane here in MOland. The kind we often have, actually. The kind I always adore ...... Mama Nature showing us just who's boss.

When this occurs I most always have the strong desire to stand right out in it. Lightning or no lightning ..... high winds or moderate. I want to feel that power ...... feel the force of the earth that exposes itself in great detail within every raindrop flung at my face with spear-like force.

Today I got my chance. No, today I accepted the challenge in order to preserve something else I adore.

Today I was fearless in the face of what Mama N. threw at me. Today I was more soaked to the bone than I can remember in my own history.

Why? Because just a few days ago my husband and I put up our brand new, tent style gazebo on Monster Deck. It really looked great even though it's only 10' x 12', which is out measured considerably by our 24' x 56' deck. Nevertheless, the little gazebo, in addition to our four patio umbrellas, brought us wonderful shade and a sense of coziness.

We knew that a moderately strong gazebo with only metal sides and a canopy top would present some problems in the high winds which gust across our "back forty" with enough force to take out anything in its path which isn't bolted down. Sooooo ...... did we have the new gazebo bolted down yet? Why no, we didn't. Hence we were both standing out in the thunder, lightning, and winds that took down large tree branches, being pounded by torrential rain.

Now I've set the stage. You get the scenario. Two little people, saving their gazebo from a full force, raging Mama Nature. And we did it. As I struggled to hold up the corners in what must have been 60 mile an hour wind, my husband sloshed out with the drill and put the bolts through the supports.

We unleashed the canopy top so the wind didn't literally lift the entire gazebo up like a hot air balloon, and my job became considerably easier.

Here's my point ....... and believe it or not I do have one today. It's a little point; just an everyday kinda point, but noteworthy nonetheless.

To go indoors after the above mentioned storm experience, drenched as the proverbial wet rat .... soaked and barely able to peel off plastered wet clothing ....... drying off with fluffy towels ....... donning warm, dry jammies ........ was a true blessing.

It made me consider all the people of the world who are deprived of this small yet significant opportunity to feel safe, warm, and at home.

You Heard It Here First!

Soooooo ........ today it is revealed that South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was not really hiking the Appalachian Trail as he told the media following his four day mysterious disappearance. Rather, he was following his wienie to Argentina, cheating on his wife with his Argentine mistress.



He said it began oh so innocently. Gee. Don't they all. Someone just SUCKED his poor, innocent, family loving arse right into an affair.

Snapola! You heard it right here moments after his "disappearance" was announced.

Wonkette Story

FOX News, in their usual attempt to disregard the truth for their own convenient and false information, first identified Mark Sanford as a Democrat:

FOX News!

Good to know they're so afar of the facts that they don't even know who USED to be a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomnination in 2012.

There are also reports that he traveled the Wienie Express to Argentina on the public's dime. Oh dear. It just gets worse and worse, doesn't it? And this is only the 2nd day!

Taxpayer Dollars, too?

So ..... FOX News and Republicans ....... who's elitist?

South Carolina Republicans are considering impeachment. I think maybe his wife should just make short work of him herself. ;)

The oh-so-sad-story:

Neda, the People of Iran's Catalyst - BEWARE, this is graphic!

"The stage is set for further conflict in Iran: The nation’s top electoral body, the Guardian Council, announced on Tuesday that it found “no major fraud” in the June 12 elections and that it would not annul the election results. "

There are still people in the world who think, "oh, that's THEM ..... they're not like us."

Yes, they are. Yes, they want freedom; yes, they protest for equality; yes, they grieve and cry for those dear to them.

They will not give up. Their outrage will not die.

Yet Another Republican Governor Takes a Hike

As "The Today Show" blathers on and on about something called "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" (ARGHHH!) I find myself intrigued by the most current reports of a Governor who seems to have something to hide. Hmmmmmm .......... what COULD it be, we wonder?

Republican Governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, seems to have been missing for days. His office couldn't find him ..... his friends looked far and wide ....... even his wife and family had no idea of his whereabouts. A Governor gone missing.

Strange ............ or ......... predictable?

"The lieutenant governor couldn't figure out where Gov. Mark Sanford was. Calls from a state senator and close friend rolled to voice mail. Even his wife said she hadn't talked to him for several days."

Where, oh where could our fair guvner be ...... oh where, oh where could he be?

OHHHHH ........ HIKING, he said, upon his return to his job after four secretive days away. Hiking the Appalachian Trail. Alone. Having told no one ahead of time where he was going.

OF COURSE!

Stay tuned ...............

Our Little News

I've told many people that one of the biggest differences in my new living location and the last one is the NEWS.

After 33 years in Milwaukee, as most of you know, I moved to wee New Podunk, Missouri, where everyone waves, the honking is sparse, the pickups are BIG, and the local news is ... funky.

Today's news poll: "Have you ever passed out from the heat?" No, but I'm about to. That answer was not an option, however. (Click on the title of this blog to vote. You know you want to.)

The same news segments run for days around here ....... DAYS. As a former news junkie, this redundancy makes my eyes twirl in opposite directions. One of the top news stories for an entire week regarded a man who wanted to complain to the City Council in a nearby smaller town. Only problem was, he became vociferous AFTER the hearings had been closed. His opinion was that he had the right to speak his thoughts to the Council whenever. The Council denied him because the hearings were over.

This seems simple to me ...... doesn't it to you? Yet somehow this man kept himself in the news for an entire week as he attempted to speak about an issue which had been decided and closed. Just in case anyone is drawing a parallel to the Skylight Opera Theatre here ........ be assured that there is no parallel. The Skylight never intended to open their decision to any type of openly thoughtful discussion, or even give warning of their impending disastrous actions. (My non-Milwaukee friends will not understand this, but I feel a BLOG coming on about this non-humanitarian situation caused by leadership's lack of foresight at the SOT.)

But I digress. Back to the local news .... again ..... and again. One of my favorite repeat news stories from a couple years ago now concerned a county across the river from us. There was one bar in the county that featured topless dancing. Some county residents wanted to shut down this bar (I said this is Podunk, right?).

Let me tell you ....... this was BIG news ......... BIG! I recall telling Ricardo, one of my Milwacky buddies, about this dire situation. His response: "But where will you work?" Cracked me up for weeks.

I guess slow news is worth something.

What do you think?

Women My Age!

Dang, I'm missing good ol' girl movies. Made with women MY age. Women who've been there, done that, know something, and are willing to share it with their sisters.

Something fun ..... a getawayfromitall kinda thing. Movies made with these three, for instance:








I really needed this today: